Belfield Collection circa 1980

[Stuart Kirkham]

Hello all

Judging by the interest in John Belfields collection of Military Vehicles, I thought members would be interested in the following photographs I took of his collection way back in 1980. As most of the photos depict armoured vehicles, I felt it appropriate to place this thread in 'The Armour Forum'.

Whilst visiting Victoria (from Western Australia), I spent some time helping John out with his MV collection. At the time these photos were taken, John lived somewhere in the Dandenong hills if I remember correctly (someone will be able to clarify this location). This was prior to the relocation and establishment of the Melbourne Tank Museum at Narre Warren North.

As can be seen in a couple of photos, John was busily building (from scratch) a suitably robust low loader to transport heavier vehicles such as the Grants and Churchill to Narre Warren North. This move took place not long after these photos were taken. I later heard that the devastating 1983 Ash Wednesday bush fires swept through the region and completely destroyed the property just after the move had been completed.

Johns MV yard was divided into two distinct sections. The front yard housed the armoured vehicles whilst the rear yard housed the softskins (+ the odd light armoured vehicle). I remember quite clearly how these vehicles had simply been placed in a 'state of storage' and that little, if any, restoration work had been undertaken.

The following diagram shows the layout of John yards. I have included some tanks as this will give you a reference point when viewing the photos. The circled numbers in the rear yard correspond to the photo number so that, like the front yard, a reference can also be established.



Outside of the front yard sat a number of armoured vehicles which included a Japanese light tank captured by Australian forces at Milne Bay. Is this the tank the AWM is now restoring? I have shown in the diagram where the others were located.

The front and rear yards were chock full of goodies. The workshop was overflowing with spare parts. I remember seeing a dozen or more PIAT anti tank weapons sitting on one shelf. There was 'MV stuff' lying about everywhere on the ground. Whilst walking around, you needed to tread carefully so as not to trip and break your neck. Snakes were also a problem as fallen leaf matter was knee high in some locations which provided a perfect home for them.

The photos are now 30 years old so quality is not that good. I have however, attempted to improve the clarity of most by playing around with image settings.

As it has been 30 years since these photos were taken, please feel free to add to, clarify or update information about the vehicles shown in the photos as I would love to know where they may be today.

I will start with the vehicles outside the front yard.

Enjoy.

[Stuart Kirkham]

Outside.

[Stuart Kirkham]

Front Yard

Looking up the central drive.



LHS of yard.





Shown in the photo below, does anyone know what the gun (with shield) is?

[Stuart Kirkham]

RHS of Yard.

[Stuart Kirkham]

More...

[Stuart Kirkham]

Rear Yard

Photo #1



Photo #2



Photo #3



Photo #4

[Stuart Kirkham]

Photo #5



Photo #6 (somewhere in the yard)



Photo #7



Photo #8



Photo #9

[Stuart Kirkham]

Johns famous Green Machine. John had just returned from a buying spree at a defence disposal auction. He bought plenty of tyres and couldn't resist the ex Neptune bomber Wright Turbo Compound radial engine.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Tommy K

Front Yard

Looking up the central drive.

Shown in the photo below, does anyone know what the gun (with shield) is?

Looks like a 37mm bofors

[Luke R]

I was born way to late!

[Lynn Eades]

3.7" isn't it???

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

What terrific photos. Thanks Stuart.
Rich.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

3.7" isn't it???

That's the gun to the left rear Lynn. The shielded gun is the one in the right foreground by the tanks and I think it is a 37mm bofors

[Luke R]

Is the Vickers light tank the same tank that Colin Jones has now?

Luke

[Ryan]

Thank you very much for sharing.
A terrific look back.
Imagine a councils reaction to a yard like that these days!

My favorite is the stuart with a grant turret and who knows what gun. Lovely.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Ryan

Thank you very much for sharing.


My favorite is the stuart with a grant turret and who knows what gun. Lovely.

If it is painted white , it was used in a TV advert in the late 1970's. I think it was for MUIRS, a long defunct store that sold furniture or similar .

I first laid eyes on the collection in 1976, during a VMVC XMAS outing . It was in Lysterfield road then , the extension of Wellington road , going from memory as it was a long time ago !

[drcowie]

Thanks Stuart for the pics - I think John's enthusiasm rubbed off onto a few of us !

[Robin Craig]

So,

you post these pictures and wax lyrical about a time gone by, wonderful, but what happened to all of the hardware . . . the M 113 catches one's eye . .


R

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

So,

you post these pictures and wax lyrical about a time gone by, wonderful, but what happened to all of the hardware . . . the M 113 catches one's eye . .

I believe John still has the M113 ........ and a lot of other stuff. He was at Beltring this year, and think there were a few vehicles following him home

[Niels V]

that looks a bit like heaven

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

I believe John still has the M113 ........ and a lot of other stuff. He was at Beltring this year, and think there were a few vehicles following him home

If this is the one that had served in Vietnam and had suffered mine damage it was sold at the 2006 auction to the Puka Tank Museum.

[Stuart Kirkham]

Originally Posted by Ryan

If this is the one that had served in Vietnam and had suffered mine damage it was sold at the 2006 auction to the Puka Tank Museum.

Yes, thats the one Ryan.

[Stuart Kirkham]

What ever happened to the Matilda as I believe it is a Frog flame thrower version?

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Ryan

If this is the one that had served in Vietnam and had suffered mine damage it was sold at the 2006 auction to the Puka Tank Museum.

hi Ryan,
I thought he had a FSV version with Saladin turret, seem to recollect he mentioned it in conversation and have seen it in photos on the web somewhere.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Tommy K

What ever happened to the Matilda as I believe it is a Frog flame thrower version?

There was 2 Frogs at the auction, 1 inside the shed, and 1 outside. Don't know of their fate though.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

hi Ryan,
I thought he had a FSV version with Saladin turret, seem to recollect he mentioned it in conversation and have seen it in photos on the web somewhere.

I reckon your right. I don't think it was in the auction though.

[Mike Cecil]

To help with a few answers:

(1) the M113A1 hull was 134199: mine damaged in Vietnam (crew commander KIA), returned to Australia, stripped and sold at auction from 2 BOD, Moorebank. Now at the Army Tank Museum, Puckapunyal.
(2) John has retained 134711, the M113A1 FSV.
(3) The 'Jap Tank' is a Type 95 Ha Go, and is indeed the one under restoration at the AWM. I was the curator that organised the purchase and conducted the bulk of the research prior to restoration commencing. Many of the repro and some original parts have been sourced out of the UK. I saw it in Novembner during my visit to Oz: the guys are doing an outstanding job.
(4) The Stuart with Grant turret and 17pdr barrel was indeed a mock-up for the Muirs store advert: good memory, Mike K!
(6) The Yeramba pictured is now at the Army Tank Museum, swapped several years ago. John then built up another one from a cut-down hull. The man is quite amazing!

Nice pics: brings back plenty of memories, as I'm sure it did for Mike K as well.

Regards

Mike C

[2nd AIF]

Originally Posted by Ryan

There was 2 Frogs at the auction, 1 inside the shed, and 1 outside. Don't know of their fate though.

Inside sold for $20k to a phone bidder, outside went for $25k to MLU forum member Jared A

[anthony urek]

I can see one or two LVT's. Where are they now? How many are still in the country?

[Luke R]

Hey Tony
Is that your carrier in one of the photos?